Russia, U.S. sign deal for Mi-17 helicopters delivery to Afghan army

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia and the United States have signed a contract for the delivery of Russian Mi-17 helicopters for the Afghan army, a Russian government agency said Monday, June 17, according to RIA Novosti.

The Russian state-owned defense firm Rosoboronexport and the U.S. Department of the Army signed the contract on Sunday in Paris “as part of joint efforts to combat terrorism,” Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said in a statement.

It did not say exactly how many helicopters were to be delivered, but Rosoboronexport deputy head Alexander Mikheyev said that the contract was for 30 Mi-17V5 helicopters. He said the value could not be disclosed, according to the contract’s terms.

Both parties expressed hope for an expansion of cooperation in the defense and technology sector, the statement said, adding that Russia was committed to its “international security policy and ready for any form of collaboration in that area.”

In February, U.S. President Barack Obama announced plans to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan from 66,000 to 34,000 over the following year, leaving Afghan forces with an increased role in their nation’s security.

In 2011, Rosoboronexport and the U.S. Defense Department signed a $367.5 million contract for the delivery of 21 Mi-17V5 helicopters to Afghanistan. The full value of that contract, including the delivery of spare parts and servicing, was about $900 million. The agreement carried the option of buying an additional 12 helicopters. Rosoboronexport helicopter export department head Grigory Kozlov said that an additional agreement for the delivery of those 12 helicopters was signed and the helicopters would be handed over to the customer before the end of the current year.

The U.S. Department of Defense said in April that it planned to sidestep a Congressional ban to purchase from Rosoboronexport 30 additional Mi-17 rotary-wing aircraft to support the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) Special Mission Wing, despite U.S. lawmakers’ allegation that the Russian firm had equipped the Syrian government to commit brutal crimes against civilians. The Pentagon decided to buy more helicopters from Rosoboronexport after it failed to find an alternative because many Afghan servicemen had already been trained to operate the Russian aircraft, Pentagon spokesman James Gregory told RIA Novosti in emailed comments.